Unexpected Love
by Grace9511
Summary: my first Broe fic!
1. Default Chapter

" It's stress," Chloe Lane murmured to herself.  
  
Clutching her purse to her chest, she leaned her head against the tile wall. The cleansing breath didn't loosen the knot in her stomach.  
  
She has never missed a period, no matter how stressful her life was, not even when her adopted parents used to use her as a punching bag.  
  
" Please just let it be stress."  
  
She stared at her watch, waiting for the five-minute test. She noticed the time. It was 6:10, which means she has twenty minutes before the morning show she co-hosts with Brady Black is on air. Ok, so taking pregnancy test at work probably was not the smartest thing she had ever done. But she had to know. NOW. Not eight hours from now when she finely made it home. So she had crept into the "executive" bathroom, locked the door and peed on the stick.  
  
She closed her eyes, simulating a calm she didn't feel. She tried to breath but the smell of the bathroom air freshener sickened her. " You'll be ok," she told herself. " Whatever happens, you'll be ok. You are mature adult. You're in a stable long-term relationship with a great guy. Hmm. "Great guy" was a bit of an overstatement. Phillip wasn't great so much as.steady.  
  
He didn't make her pulse pound or her knees weak. That is ok. She could live without wild animal attraction. But what worried her was that he didn't challenge her mind. A monkey has better brain than he does. 


	2. ch 1

THANK YOU so much for the wonderful reviews. I think I forgot to disclaim, so don't sue me. I own nothing but my car. Here is chapter one. I hope you guys like. FEEDBACKS GREATLY APPRECIATED. ~~~~~~~~~  
  
She heard the last few notes of one her favorite songs, followed by the station jingle. Then she heard her own prerecorded voice.  
  
" if you did not catch the show yesterday here is what you missed."  
  
" so what you are saying,' Brady's voice began," is that you're trying to trap your boyfriend into marrying you." " Of course not," the listener snapped," he wants to get married-" Brady cut her off." Honey, no man wants to get married. Women want to get married. Men just want to get laid."  
  
A few seconds of canned laughter segued into commercial for a new restaurant. She blocked that out. The clip from yesterdays hadn't distracted her as well. It her only reminded of she already knew.  
  
The single, sexy guys- the guys like Brady- were commitment-phobes. Boys pretending to be men. Luckily, Phillip was nothing like Brady.  
  
She glanced at her watch. Thirteen seconds to go. she exhaled, then stood. She draped the strap of her mammoth leather bag over door handle, ignoring it as it dropped with a thud, and flexed her fingers to loosen the convulsed muscles. In two steps she crossed to the vanity. For a moment she stared at herself in the mirror. " Whatever happens, you'll be ok." She met her reflection's gaze and nodded before looking at the wand. One window framed a single blue stripe; proof the test had worked, in the other, two blue lines formed an X. She was pregnant. Anger flashed through her. This wasn't fair. All her life She'd been so careful, so responsible. Now this? Her future ruined by poor quality control at a latex factory!  
  
She grabbed the stick, intending to hurl it across the tiny room. In a anger she whacked her knuckles against the vanity. Pain seared through her hand. "Ouch! Ouch! Ouch!" Still grasping the stick, she shook her hand to dispel the sting.  
  
" are you ok?" the question came from behind her. Too close behind her.  
  
Panicked, she whirled to find Brady filling the doorway.  
  
" What are you doing in here?" she gasped. " What's in your hand"? 


	3. ch2

Again Thanks bunch for the wonderful replies.  
  
I disclaim. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
" What's in your hand" Horrified, she looked down at the incriminating stick in her hand then thrust her hand behind her back. " nothing" she said with force. His eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Was that a thermometer?" " No. Leave!" she watched in disbelieve as he stepped into the room, shutting the door behind him. "if you're running a fever, you should go home. We can cover for you." His annoying protective instincts were very much at odds with his flippant radio personality. Sometimes she didn't know which was real the real Brady. Today she would have preferred the flippant Brady.  
  
" I am not sick. How did you get in?" " The door was open. Now let me see the thermometer." He held his hand out.  
  
With frantic hands she searched the vanity behind her for someplace to hide the stick. Her sleek, pocket less dress proved in this useless in this situation. Her purse lay on the floor by Brady's feet. Only then did she realize the weight of the purse on the handle must have unlocked the door. Damn her carelessness.  
  
While she was distracted, he reached around her and plucked the stick from her fingertips. For a second, awareness flashed through her. He Towered over her, larger and taller than he ever been before.  
  
She reached for the stick, but was too late. Horror crossed his face as he realized what he was holding was not a thermometer. He dropped the stick and stepped away, flattening his back against the door as if the pregnancy test stick carried some deadly disease.  
  
Under any other circumstances, she might have laughed. " I told you it was not a thermometer." " is that a." He seemed unable to choke out the words. " Yes. It is." she ran her hands over her face to her temples. She massaged the tender skin, trying to ease the ache pounding through her head.  
  
Brady crouched down and peered at the stick where it lay on the floor. He didn't touch it. " There's plus sign. Positive means good news, right?" " No, positive means the test is positive. Not that the news is positive." thirty and he didn't even know how to read a pregnancy test. Lucky guy.  
  
Almost as if he'd read her thoughts he said, " I've never had to read one of these before." " How nice for you." " What are you gong to do now?" he stood, wiping his hands on his jeans. " I guess I am going to ask Phillip to marry me." 


	4. ch1

THANK YOU so much for the wonderful reviews. I think I forgot to disclaim, so don't sue me. I own nothing but my car. Here is chapter one. I hope you guys like. FEEDBACKS GREATLY APPRECIATED. ~~~~~~~~~  
  
She heard the last few notes of one her favorite songs, followed by the station jingle. Then she heard her own prerecorded voice.  
  
" if you did not catch the show yesterday here is what you missed."  
  
" so what you are saying,' Brady's voice began," is that you're trying to trap your boyfriend into marrying you." " Of course not," the listener snapped," he wants to get married-" Brady cut her off." Honey, no man wants to get married. Women want to get married. Men just want to get laid."  
  
A few seconds of canned laughter segued into commercial for a new restaurant. She blocked that out. The clip from yesterdays hadn't distracted her as well. It her only reminded of she already knew.  
  
The single, sexy guys- the guys like Brady- were commitment-phobes. Boys pretending to be men. Luckily, Phillip was nothing like Brady.  
  
She glanced at her watch. Thirteen seconds to go. she exhaled, then stood. She draped the strap of her mammoth leather bag over door handle, ignoring it as it dropped with a thud, and flexed her fingers to loosen the convulsed muscles. In two steps she crossed to the vanity. For a moment she stared at herself in the mirror. " Whatever happens, you'll be ok." She met her reflection's gaze and nodded before looking at the wand. One window framed a single blue stripe; proof the test had worked, in the other, two blue lines formed an X. She was pregnant. Anger flashed through her. This wasn't fair. All her life She'd been so careful, so responsible. Now this? Her future ruined by poor quality control at a latex factory!  
  
She grabbed the stick, intending to hurl it across the tiny room. In a anger she whacked her knuckles against the vanity. Pain seared through her hand. "Ouch! Ouch! Ouch!" Still grasping the stick, she shook her hand to dispel the sting.  
  
" are you ok?" the question came from behind her. Too close behind her.  
  
Panicked, she whirled to find Brady filling the doorway.  
  
" What are you doing in here?" she gasped. " What's in your hand"? 


	5. the real chapter three & notice ch4 is c...

I am so glad you guys like this fic. I am not a writer and I was kind of apprehensive about posting it. Well here chapter three. ENJOY!  
  
~I disclaim~  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ " THAT DIRTY, ROTTEN RAT!" Mimi pounded her delicate fist for emphasis.  
  
Up and down the length of the conference table, heads turned in their direction as Chloe shushed her friend. Scooting her chair closer to Mimi's, she whispered, " Can we just not talk about it?" " Your boyfriend walks out on you after two years and you don't want to talk about it?"  
  
Of course she didn't want to talk about. Her Co-workers surrounded them. The Monday morning meeting would start less than ten minutes, and if Jack, their program director, heard about it, he's find some way to exploit it. She hadn't meant to tell anyone. " I don't want to talk about it here," Chloe tried again. " you don't want to talk about what?" She looked up to see Brady standing right behind her. He wore what she teasingly referred to s his uniform: worn jeans, dingo boots and an un-tucked, unbuttoned, plaid shirt over a particularly ratty T- shirt. As always, he exudes a scruffy, I don't give a damn charm that makes women melt.  
  
Make OTHER women melt she mentally corrected herself. She spent a lot time shoring up her defenses against men like Brady-the wild, untamable ones. She'd pack her heart dry before she let herself melt over a man like Brady. Not that she was the melt-able type. And if she was, she'd melt over a man's accurate day planner and sound five-year plan, not his devil-may-care grin and tousled hair. Especially not when they belonged to the man who, at the moment, had the power to her life miserable. He was the only one who knew she was pregnant. Besides Phillip, who had scurried to safety when he heard the news. It seemed he was commitment- phobe, as well. Too bad she hadn't recognized it- until tonight.  
  
What a waste of her time and energy. Phillip had seemed like such a safe choice. Two years of stupefying business dinners and coma-inducing dates only to find out steady and responsible weren't the same things after all.  
  
If she wanted to end up pregnant and alone she could have accomplished that dating someone considerably more fun than Phillip. Someone wild and sexy. Someone like.Brady.  
  
Not Brady, of course-she'd never sate anyone from work-but someone like him. it was a moot point, because instead of knee-weakening and irresponsible, she'd chosen boring and irresponsible. Either she figured too many irresponsible men knew about her pregnancy.  
  
" Nothing," she insisted. She tried to kick Mimi's leg but missed and stubbed her toes on the table pedestal.  
  
" Phillip dumped Chloe," Mimi announced just as Brady slid into to the chair on Chloe's other side. " he did what?" Brady's roar silenced all other conversation and had heads turning in their direction. Before he could blurt out anything else, she grabbed his hand and yanked him close enough to whisper, " tell anyone about happened and you're dead man."  
  
He raised his eyebrows in question but said nothing. Unfortunately, most of the eyes around the table were still focused on them. A moment later Jack came on. He paused just inside the door, obviously surprised by the dead silence. " What's up?" Jack looked around the room. The half dozen other people shrugged. Mimi, however, shifted in her chair and flipped through here notepad, pretending she hadn't heard. " Mimi," Jack called " Yes: she looked up innocently. " What's up" She shrugged for an answer, but ultimately caved. " Chloe's boyfriend dumped her." 


	6. the real ch 4

I am so sorry for the lack of new chapters. I had this HUGE anatomy test that I needed to study for. ********************************************************** " Mimi?" Jack called " Yes?" she looked up innocently. " What's up?" She struggled for an answer, but ultimately caved. " Chloe's boyfriend dumped her."  
  
Chloe sucked in her breath. Here it comes. Some scheme or ploy to turn her personal tragedy into a Jack's marketing Bonanza.  
  
To her surprise, instead of pouncing, Jack looked at her, then at Brady, assessing them both. Finally, he pinned her with a stare. " So," he barked, " you're single again." " So it would seem." " Interesting." Jack lingered over the word. Vo one in the room so much as murmured while they watched him with rapt attention. Brady's expression darkened and Chloe found herself wondering if he would honor her " request" for silence. She didn't put whole a lot of faith in his discretion.  
  
He gave her hard time about everything. He'd made jokes on the air the time she rushed out of the bathroom with her skirt hem caught in her panty hose. Teased her mercilessly the time she interviewed the mayor with her unbuttoned. It was all part of their on-air relationship. He was the joker straight man. The laurel to hardy.  
  
Which was all well and good on the radio, but she wasn't comfortable trusting wild man Brady with her personal knowledge that she was doomed to my-boyfriend's-an-irresponsible-jerk single motherhood. Glancing in his direction, she saw not teasing gleam she's expected but a frown. An all-out scowl really.  
  
Before she could ponder on his uncharacteristic expression, Jack reclaimed her attention. " Chloe, my girl, the listeners love you" She sat up a little straighter. " Thank you" * I think* " They sympathize with you. Men and women alike. You are the darling of the morning airways."  
  
*Uh-oh* " And you've just been brutally dumped. The man you loved, the man you trusted, has crushed your fragile heart." This. " You're wounded. You're hurt." .Did not. " Your ego lies in ruin." .Sound good. " It's perfect!" " I don't know that I would use the word 'ruin,'" she protested. Jack pegged her with a demanding look. "Sir" She'd tacked on the "sir" in the hope of placating him. it didn't work. " Tomorrow you will." " I will?" Did he really expect her to go on the air and talk about being dumped by her boyfriend? Of course, he did. She was his pet deejay. She always followed through on his ideas and he's rarely been wrong. But this?  
  
" this tragedy is what the morning show needs. Listeners will tune in everyday to hear the ongoing saga of your broken heart. To hear your-" he paused dramatically, hands outstretched."-love letters." " but, sir, I don't get any love letters." She could only hope Brady would not mention Kevin, the divorcee, who emailed her with alarming regularity. " But you will! Starting tomorrow you'll be buried in them." His tone reached the levels of revival preacher. " You're wounded and heartbroken. The listeners will rally around you, lending you support, helping you rebuild shattered dignity. They're there for you in your time in need. And soon a new Chloe will rise like a phoenix from ashes of personal tragedy. And you'll owe it all to the listeners' love letters."  
  
" Why would they send me letters?" she was afraid she already knew. " Because each day you'll read through the letters and pick one the best one. You'll read the lucky man's letter on the air" 


	7. ch 5

~I disclaim~ ~~~~~~~~~  
  
" Why would they send me letters?" she was afraid she already knew. " Because each day you'll read through the letters and pick one the best one. You'll read the lucky man's letter on the air"  
  
The promotions director nodded along enthusiastically as if jamming to her favorite band. " I like it. It's new. fun." She paused, cocking her head to the side. " But, Jack, what will they win?" "Hmm. What will they win?" Jack paused, squinting his eyes and thoughtfully stroking his chin. " The daily winners will each receive a T-shirt, of course. A special, limited-edition, Chloe T-shirt." He shot a look at the program director. " How soon can we get those?" she jotted down a few notes, then looked up. " I can have a design for your approval by the end of the day. T-shirt by the end of the week."  
  
T-shirts? They were making T-shirts? Chloe sank lower in her chair, trying to catch up with her stomach, which felt as if it had slipped out of her body and lay flopping around on the floor.  
  
" Excellent! The daily winners will get T-shirts. Weekly winners will get a special Love Letters to Chloe prize pack."  
  
Oh, dear lord, will the humiliation never end? Chloe felt her throat tighten and swallowed to loosen the knot forming there.  
  
She glanced around the table. Everyone was watching her, trying to gauge her reaction. The promotions director smiled as she warmed to the idea. Mimi's face was flushed with guilt. Then there was Brady. He was tapping out an anger rhythm with his pencil.  
  
He fooled a lot of people with hid good-natured appearance. blonde hair and crystal blue eyes combined with his six foot frame gave people the impression he was a bear of a man. A teddy bear--cuddly and playful. But she knew better. His cuddly exterior cloaked a will of iron.  
  
Brady watched her. " Aren't you going to say anything?" She looked up and met Jack's gaze. " Well, Chloe? What do you think?" She sucked in deep breath, nudged Brady's knee under the table as a preventive measure, and smiled bright. " Sounds really.interesting." Jack narrowed his eyes, assessing her. " Um, so how long will this-" carnival of humiliation"-contest last?"  
  
" Three weeks. There will be a grand-prize winner. You'll get to pick the lucky man, of course.  
  
The pencil Brady had been tapping against the table snapped in his fingers. The anger written so clearly on his face made her stomach tighten. She tried to catch his eye, but he was glaring too intently at Jack to notice. So she nudged him with her knee gain. This time he nudged back. His gaze met hers across the small table." Please don't do anything stupid" she tried to tell him with her eyes.  
  
His gaze was darkened with barely suppressed emotion-anger in her defense. She shivered in response. She'd always fight her own battles. And would fight this one, as well, despite the temptation to let him fight it for her.  
  
Awareness snaked through her. She jerked her knee away from his. Turning her attention back to Jack, she asked," and the lucky man will win a vacation or something, right?" "No, no, no. Something much better." His lips curled in a self-satisfied smile. " He'll win a date with you" In an instant Brady was on his feet." She's not doing it." Jack's eyes gleamed with satisfaction. " That's for Chloe to decide." 


	8. ch6

~I disclaim~ *************  
  
Brady leaned forward, planting his palms on the laminated conference table. " She's not doing it, because I am not doing it." " You'll do it if I tell to." "There is no way in hell Chloe is going to participate in this stupid stunt of yours and there is not a damn thing you can do about it." Jack didn't even bat an eye. " I can think of several things, especially with your contract up for review next month."  
  
Before either of them could say another word, Chloe leaped to her feet. " NO! Stop it. Both if you just stop it!" she shrieked.  
  
Every head in the room swiveled in her direction. Eyes widened and mouths gaped. No one looked more shocked by her outburst than Brady. She couldn't have surprised him more if she yelled, " stop or I'll shoot!"  
  
In fact, the only person more surprised by her outburst was herself. What had come over her? One minute Brady and Jack had been arguing. The next minute she felt five again, huddled in the corner while her adopted parents fought in the next room.  
  
Now that she had everyone's attention, she wasn't quite sure what to do with it. As the expressions turned from shocked to expectant, she shifted nervously. " I"LL.." She took in a shuddering breath. " I'll read the letters. I'll pick the winners. I'll even go on the damn date." Jack's face split into a smile.  
  
She narrowed her eyes, patently refusing to so much as glance at Brady. " One date, in a very public place, and that's it."  
  
" DAMN IT, CHLOE, tell him him~" Brady demanded from the open door of the building's main entrance. His voice carried across the parking lot, so he stepped outside, following her down the front steps. The noon heat rolled off the asphalt in waves, pricking his skin as it washed over him.  
  
She spun around, forcing him to stop short to keep from bumping into her. " Would you please keep it down?" she said in a whispered hiss. Her eyes narrowed. " I will not tell him and neither will you. Just stay out of this." She turned her back to him and stomped toward her car.  
  
For a second he watched her walk away. Damn she was pissed-at him, as well as the ex-boyfriend, it seemed. Sometimes he just didn't get women. What the hell had he done? He was just trying to help. Trying to defend her when she was too good-natured to defend herself.  
  
He jogged a few steps and caught up with her next to her car. She had her knee propped against the car door, her giant bag balanced there.  
  
" Where are they?" she mumbled, ignoring him completely. " I just want to go home"  
  
" Chloe, if you tell him, he won't make you do this." " Do what?" she demanded without looking up. " This ridiculous love letter thing. It's just marketing stunt. It's beneath you."  
  
Now she looked up, but the withering glare she shot him made him wish she hadn't. " This coming form a man who judged a female mud-wrestling contest at Bob's Bar and Grill." " Barbie's Bar and Grill." " Right. And I am sure all those bikini-clad women were just there for the rejuvenative qualities of the mud." " Hey, men like women who aren't afraid to get a little dirty." He eyed her speculatively. Her royal blue pantsuit professional but still feminine completed her eyes. He couldn't resist adding, " you should try it sometime." " What? The mud wrestling or the judging of the stupid contests?" " Getting a little dirty."  
  
" Right. Because the world needs more naked pregnant women covered in mud."  
  
Chloe mud wrestling? No, He didn't want that. Chloe naked and ready to get a little dirty? That was something else entirely. A temptation he was smart enough to steer clear of. 


End file.
